Post by IDOCO on Aug 29, 2010 15:32:58 GMT -5
Three Indy residents arrested for trafficking at Carlisle prison
CARLISLE — Three Indianapolis residents have been arrested for trafficking cell phones and possession of marijuana at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility at Carlisle.
Neal Martin, 47, Tina Battle, 37, and Jessica Byrd, 23, all face charges of trafficking cell phones and possession of marijuana over 30 grams, both class-C felonies, and trafficking with an inmate, a class-D felony.
Prison authorities report that Martin, who is wheelchair bound, was observed Thursday dropping something suspicious into a trash can outside the prison’s Secured Confinement Unit following a visit. The resulting search uncovered 9 cell phones and about 100 grams of marijuana that were concealed inside a popcorn box.
“Heads-up police work and fast action kept dangerous contraband from spreading into the facility,” said Jack Hendrix, acting superintendent at WVCF.
Public Information Officer Rich Larsen explained that Martin was thoroughly searched at the visitor processing center before being allowed to enter the visitation area. His wheelchair was searched, as well.
The popcorn box was purchased through a vending machine in the visitation area, Larsen said.
It is not believed that the offender who Martin was visiting was the intended recipient of the contraband, Larsen said. The Secured Confinement Unit is a segregated, single-cell environment for offenders, and all visitation is conducted via video, he explained, so there was no visitor-to-offender contact for Martin to hand off the contraband.
However, Larsen said, the next person to pick up the trash can that contained the contraband could have retrieved the phones and marijuana.
As part of the investigation, a Touch DNA forensics kit was used by investigators to rub a specially treated swab on the contraband to determine who had come in contact with the objects. Larsen said the results from that DNA swab might indicate other individuals who were involved in the trafficking case.
Sullivan County Deputy Bill Sneed assisted in the investigation and transported the suspects to jail. Bond has been set at $35,000 each for Martin, Battle and Byrd.
The driver of a car the trio was traveling in was questioned and later released.
CARLISLE — Three Indianapolis residents have been arrested for trafficking cell phones and possession of marijuana at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility at Carlisle.
Neal Martin, 47, Tina Battle, 37, and Jessica Byrd, 23, all face charges of trafficking cell phones and possession of marijuana over 30 grams, both class-C felonies, and trafficking with an inmate, a class-D felony.
Prison authorities report that Martin, who is wheelchair bound, was observed Thursday dropping something suspicious into a trash can outside the prison’s Secured Confinement Unit following a visit. The resulting search uncovered 9 cell phones and about 100 grams of marijuana that were concealed inside a popcorn box.
“Heads-up police work and fast action kept dangerous contraband from spreading into the facility,” said Jack Hendrix, acting superintendent at WVCF.
Public Information Officer Rich Larsen explained that Martin was thoroughly searched at the visitor processing center before being allowed to enter the visitation area. His wheelchair was searched, as well.
The popcorn box was purchased through a vending machine in the visitation area, Larsen said.
It is not believed that the offender who Martin was visiting was the intended recipient of the contraband, Larsen said. The Secured Confinement Unit is a segregated, single-cell environment for offenders, and all visitation is conducted via video, he explained, so there was no visitor-to-offender contact for Martin to hand off the contraband.
However, Larsen said, the next person to pick up the trash can that contained the contraband could have retrieved the phones and marijuana.
As part of the investigation, a Touch DNA forensics kit was used by investigators to rub a specially treated swab on the contraband to determine who had come in contact with the objects. Larsen said the results from that DNA swab might indicate other individuals who were involved in the trafficking case.
Sullivan County Deputy Bill Sneed assisted in the investigation and transported the suspects to jail. Bond has been set at $35,000 each for Martin, Battle and Byrd.
The driver of a car the trio was traveling in was questioned and later released.